MESA, ARIZ. – In its first ever postseason appearance, the Embry-Riddle baseball team defeated Marymount California to open the 2022 Cal Pac Baseball Tournament. The Eagles then lead regular season champions and top seeded Antelope Valley, but ultimately fell, setting up a scenario where ERAU must win four straight games to win the Cal Pac Tournament, and an automatic spot in the NAIA National Tournament.

Game 1: Embry-Riddle 4, Marymount California 2

This contest saw the Eagles win a game in a fashion they have not been used to lately – low scoring and down to the wire. While the streak of nine straight games of 10+ runs being scored was snapped, the Eagles scored twice in the second and twice in the eighth, enough to avoid an elimination game later on Wednesday.

Luke Jepsen led off the second inning with a triple, then came around to score on Kevin Fedoruk's sacrifice fly. Owen Cain, who was hit by a pitch right after Jepsen got to third, came around on an RBI from Blake Moore.

Cain would have his biggest hit later on in the game, giving Embry-Riddle a 4-0 lead in the eighth inning. Strickler led off the frame with a double then later scored, and Cain smacked a triple into center field to give ERAU an all-important two insurance runs.

Those runs would come in handy, as the Mariners threatened with a pair in the top of the ninth, but Cole Altherr would slam the door for his third save on the year. With runners at first and third, no outs, and a pair of runs already on the board for MCU, Altherr struck out two of the final three batters to preserve the Eagle victory.

Mitchell Mussler had an outstanding start, spreading nine hits over 8+ innings. Mussler found quick ways to get outs as well, needing just 94 pitches to notch his Cal Pac-leading 10^th win of the season.

Game 2: Antelope Valley 11, Embry-Riddle 8

The Eagles pushed Antelope Valley to the edge on Thursday, but could not hang on to start the tournament 2-0. Embry-Riddle held an 8-5 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, but the Pioneers scored six runs to pull ahead and hang on for the win.

ERAU trailed through the early portion of the game, finding themselves down 5-2 entering the fourth inning. The Eagles answered right back though, scoring four runs, three of those coming courtesy of Luke Jepsen's home run to left field.

Embry-Riddle tacked on additional runs in the sixth and seventh, and nearly had more in the eight if it were not for an unlucky double play at third base. The Eagles kept swinging hard until the final out, and ended the day's second game with 13 hits.

Travis Strickler, Carson Ramocinski, Roberto Garza-Nunez and Jepsen all had two hits for the Eagles, producing a lot of offense from near the top of the order. Embry-Riddle also drew four walks and were hit twice as runners filled the basepaths often throughout the afternoon.

The Eagles now must win four straight to capture a conference championship, and that journey begins Thursday afternoon against the host school. ERAU and Benedictine-Mesa will face each other in the first elimination game on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 2:30 p.m.